Once More Unto the Breach
March 27th, 2009 at 9:38 am
UPDATED BELOW
After a year of fierce debate about how evolution should be taught (or not taught) to Texas school kids, the State Board of Education is expected this morning to give final approval to new science standards.
But not without one more fight.
The board is quarreling once more over the exact wording of the curriculum requirements.
Just to review yesterday’s action, a reference to the “weaknesses” of evolution was removed from the standards, although creationists on the board passed several other amendments that diluted science lessons.
Debate has just begun. The board is about to consider an amendment by Cynthia Dunbar that would require students to examine evidence “supportive and not supportive” of scientific explanations. Critics have said language like that may be an effort to sneak unscientific doubts about evolution into science classes.
Updates to follow.
UPDATE: Board members reached a compromise on Dunbar’s amendment (see above). The compromise language removes the words “supportive and not supportive,” but permits students in all science classes to examine “all sides of scientific evidence….to encourage critical thinking.” That language leaves a slight opening for bringing criticisms of evolution into the classroom. But it’s a much softer standard than the “strengths and weaknesses” language that creationists on the board have been pushing for.
ANOTHER UPDATE: The board is debating standards for biology classes. Lawrence Allen of Houston has offered amendments that would remove language that creationists passed into the standards in January. Scientists have strongly criticized this language, which would require students to examine so-called flaws in the fossil record. Chair Don McLeroy gave an impassioned defense of the unscientific language, arguing that the fossil record doesn’t always support the theory of evolution. “Evolution goes back to a man [Darwin] who basically came up with philosophical speculation,” McLeroy said.
Moments ago, the board voted (8-7) to remove the unscientific language McLeroy inserted in January. The board has taken a 10-minute break. When it returns, Allen has four more amendments that remove other lines of unscientific language from the standards. It appears the pro-evolution side has the votes to prevail today.
More updates to follow.
March 27th, 2009 at 11:03 am
I have thoroughly enjoyed your coverage of this subject. Here’s hoping science comes out on top.
March 27th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Texas is Kansas: Final Debate…
Dave Mann is continuing his watch of the debate from the Texas Legislature. I’m not sure if he’ll be updating his post titled “Once More Unto the Breach” or if he will post something new. Either way, the social conservativ…
March 27th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
So far the outcomes of the votes have been great. It’s disappointing that the votes are so close, but as long as the final outcome is that teachers are not forced to teach non-scientific ideas as science, then we should all be very happy.
March 27th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
[…] can read our earlier dispatch on today’s meeting here. Also, the Texas Freedom Network live-blogged the meeting, and has a good play-by-play of the […]